Ammo choices

[tracker x-2]

Has anyone ever herd of/tried fiocchi goose ammo or the waterfowl ammo.

I'm always in search of new ammo and just came across this.

The 3.5 inch shells are 1 5/8 oz!!!! Pretty tempting.....

[walleye18]

I go cheap....I go Winchester Experts in 1550 fps....#2, #3 and #4's

For me....when I bounced around in terms of loads, and shot speed my success suffered. When I stayed constant with a certain load and brand, my success improved.....for what its worth.

[Gordie]

I love Black cloud but last year I could not get it from my contact so I went to 2 3/4 Winchester experts in 4 shot and It was great, my son and myself had great success with it I am almost certain I shot better with it than the BC.

I agree with Walleye18, when you find what works best or is the most consistent for you stay with it.

I'm done with the shell game I'm gonna use what dropped the birds the best for me and if its the cheapest shell on the market, oh well, then I can spend more on gas to get to my hunting spot.

[jparrucci]

I agree with walleye18 as well. Winchester experts in 1550 fps 3 inch. I usually use 2 and BB. 2 early in the year for woodies and teal and BB for mallards and geese. I hate chasing cripples. I want it dead or a miss.

[fishuhalik]

Nothin but hevi-shot for me! jk, $50 per 10, are you kidding me?! It'd take me $250 to get a limit!! I stick with Kent Fasteels in #2s. Kills em dead

[tracker x-2]

as of last year I really got into the black cloud snow goose, but now that I got a new gun (x3) im interested in trying out some 3.5"

[SAX]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but 3.5 shells are overrated. The last time I shot a box I pledged it was the last box I would ever buy. Sure there is probably a time and place for them but 99% of the hunting I do and that most people do for that matter, 3 inch shells are suffice. Save your money and buy 3 inch shells and spend the difference on other gear.

[BoxMN]

If you actually test out the different loads on 30 yard targets, you will find the best one for your gun. We found that #2 anything, but especially the cheaper stuff, does not shot well from our barrels and preferred chokes - bro and I use the same. We found #4 BC works very well and very consistent for duck, and BB anything is good for bigger stuff.

But keeping it all the same is probably biggest thing that helps us. When we shot odds and ends it was hard. Now we stick with #4 BC and gotta say we like it, even at the slightly higher price.

I have some Hevi-Steel (predecessor to Hevi-Metal) in #4, and while I would not spend that kind of money for regular use, it really does knock down and kill like old lead did back in the day. Only 3 boxes left though, so will use when I don't feel like chasing

[Gordie]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but 3.5 shells are overrated. The last time I shot a box I pledged it was the last box I would ever buy. Sure there is probably a time and place for them but 99% of the hunting I do and that most people do for that matter, 3 inch shells are suffice. Save your money and buy 3 inch shells and spend the difference on other gear.

I agree and 3 inch shells are overrated as well but they do get the job done. I just think that if you are a good shot and you can do it with 3 inch shells you can kill the same bird with 2 3/4 shells.

Boxman is also correct patterning is the way to find a perfect fit for your needs.

All the talk of 3.5 and 3 inch shells better at longer ranges is a farce IMO.

look at what the powder difference is and what the weight difference is in the shot and this will reveal the real story. one of the reasons I went back to 2/3/4 shells

[Shane Z]

I don't mean to rain on your parade but 3.5 shells are overrated. The last time I shot a box I pledged it was the last box I would ever buy. Sure there is probably a time and place for them but 99% of the hunting I do and that most people do for that matter, 3 inch shells are suffice. Save your money and buy 3 inch shells and spend the difference on other gear.

The only time I run 3.5"s is during the Spring for snow geese these days.As SAX said, most every situation, 3 inch will do the trick.

[fishersofmen]

I will only buy Federal have everything from BBB to #4. I shot pretty well with Black Cloud last season but they were jamming in my gun and it never jams. Maybe I just got a bad box not sure.

[tracker x-2]

No one is raining on any parade I want to hear what every thinks. If you don't like/don't want to use 3.5 inch thats fine. I'm going to try/pattern a bunch of stuff out of my new gun.

[Bryce]

Been shooting the Fiocchi 3" in 3 shot for several years at ducks. Probably a half dozen cases. In my gun it cycles well, patterns well, and is actually more affordable and doesn't foul up the gun like Federal blue boxes. Was too late to buy a case of BB for snow goose last spring to compare to BC. 3 1/2" not quite as affordable. May stick with BC for the little bit of that I use.

[TylerS]

I switch back and forth between Winchester and Federal cheap-o 3-inch Nos. 4, 2 and BB. Usually I can pick up a case at Waterfowl Days in Fargo for less than $100. That lasts me a bit, depending on the season.

I tend to lean toward Federal because I've noticed they're a bit cleaner shooting and have more consistent pellet shape (I've cut open quite a few Feds and Wins and there is a stark difference in consistency with Winchester). However, 90 percent of my gunning is over decoys within 30 yards, and with my Patternmaster choke tube I can run just about any garbage shell through my M2 with great results. Haven't patterned my gun, but my kill-to-cripple ration greatly improved last fall with that combo. I like a tight pattern with short shot string. That way its generally either a clean miss or a clean kill. A lot easier on the pooch

[RuddyDuck]

I have shot the Fiocchi 3" 1 1/8oz 1475fps steel loads in the past. It's a decent shell for ducks. I have never tried there 3 1/2 loads. They just don't sell them at alot of places, so I don't use them much anymore. I mostly bought it from Ballistic Products out of Corcoran. Looking at their site, it looks like they do still carry some Fiocchi, so I may have to give it a try again.

[Bryce]

Free shipping on most steel from Rogers. Can't beat delivered right to your door.

[bobbymalone]

I will only buy Federal have everything from BBB to #4. I shot pretty well with Black Cloud last season but they were jamming in my gun and it never jams. Maybe I just got a bad box not sure.

This is pretty much my story.

Compare the spent shells. 2 3/4, 3, or 3 1/2 inches is the measurement before the crimp blows out. BC jams my gun about every other shot. Coincidentally, maybe, the spent BC was significantly longer than the red box federals. weird.

[walleye18]

like was mentioned, you need to pattern your gun. Thats the best way to see what works for you...then stick with it.

On another note...when you have time, try this - take, say, your best 4 brands of loads you plan on shooting.

Get some telephone books and place them 30 yds from you...shoot them....and count the number of pages that particular load penetrated......YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENCE IN LOADS AND BRANDS in terms of how they penetrate. Ive done it. And the hype between the brands of shells out there and the penetration power will raise your eye-brow....

In the end, its all about making a quick, humane kill and not having the cripples....and harvesting those tasty birds!

[tracker x-2]

Get some telephone books and place them 30 yds from you...shoot them....and count the number of pages that particular load penetrated......YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENCE IN LOADS AND BRANDS in terms of how they penetrate. Ive done it. And the hype between the brands of shells out there and the penetration power will raise your eye-brow....

Excellent idea....

[fishuhalik]

like was mentioned, you need to pattern your gun. Thats the best way to see what works for you...then stick with it.

On another note...when you have time, try this - take, say, your best 4 brands of loads you plan on shooting.

Get some telephone books and place them 30 yds from you...shoot them....and count the number of pages that particular load penetrated......YOU WILL BE AMAZED AT THE DIFFERENCE IN LOADS AND BRANDS in terms of how they penetrate. Ive done it. And the hype between the brands of shells out there and the penetration power will raise your eye-brow....

In the end, its all about making a quick, humane kill and not having the cripples....and harvesting those tasty birds!

Outstanding idea. I was gonna pattern my shotgun today, think I'll bring a few of the hundreds of old magazines I have & put some holes in em. Thanks for the great tip

[Feathers Rainin]

Pattern your gun. Kent's pattern extremely well out of my SBE II. I am a big fan of 3 inch 3 shot. I used to shoot the cheap stuff and could knock em down fine but had lots of crips. When I started running Kent's the crips went way down, they kill em dead real well. 3.5's are definitely not needed and absolutely destroy you and your hunting partners ears so I do not use em. If you cant knock a duck down you don't need to get a better or larger shell, you need to practice and/or quit skybusting.

A lot of guys run black clouds but the wad does not open up very well out of some guns. I have found wads in the field with half the bb's still in them. My buddy shot a hole clear through a goose at 25yards. Gordy maybe that was why you struggled with them.

[tracker x-2]

Pattern your gun. Kent's pattern extremely well out of my SBE II. I am a big fan of 3 inch 3 shot. I used to shoot the cheap stuff and could knock em down fine but had lots of crips. When I started running Kent's the crips went way down, they kill em dead real well. 3.5's are definitely not needed and absolutely destroy you and your hunting partners ears so I do not use em. If you cant knock a duck down you don't need to get a better or larger shell, you need to practice and/or quit skybusting.

A lot of guys run black clouds but the wad does not open up very well out of some guns. I have found wads in the field with half the bb's still in them. My buddy shot a hole clear through a goose at 25yards. Gordy maybe that was why you struggled with them.

Had I wanted a ethics lecture I would have asked for it.

I'm glade your a sniper with 3 shot kent.

Anyone with info about fiocchi brand ammo?

[BoxMN]

We used it years ago when we got it cheap. Probably different now. It worked, can't say anything good or bad, but I don't recall any probs with duds or not cycling autoloaders or anything.

[walleye18]

Fiocchi brand ammo is good stuff in my opinion....use to shoot it for waterfowl and pheasants. I like it and it shoots well out of my gun. Good, sound and quality loads.

[Feathers Rainin]

Had I wanted a ethics lecture I would have asked for it.

I'm glade your a sniper with 3 shot kent.

Not sure how this was an ethics lecture and I don't recall saying I am a sniper. All I said is kents seem to kill ducks dead (vs crippling) better than the cheap stuff. The reason for my practice/skybusting line is a lot of guys think it is the shells, gun, choke, etc. fault when they aren't killing ducks when really it is user error. You shouldn't ask for an opinion if you don't want responses.

Fiocchi is good stuff. Before Kents it was the go to for a lot of guys.